Angular mouse support

ABSTRACT

A keyboard tray can be mounted on an articulating arm and has a passage extending from side to side. A mouse support is slidably mounted within the passage and has a closed position and an extended position. When extended, an outer end of the mouse support can be pivoted forward relative to the tray.

Priority is claimed based upon U.S. provisional application Ser. No.60/589,586 filed on Jul. 21, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a keyboard tray having a mouse support thatcan slide out either side of the tray to an open position. When in anopen position, that part of the mouse support that is located outside ofthe tray can slide forward relative to the tray.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is known to have a mouse support that is slidably mounted in a curvedpassage of a keyboard tray. The mouse support can slide out of eitherend of the curved passage to a position where the end of the mousesupport is located in front of an imaginary vertical plane extendingthrough a front edge of the tray. The plane is perpendicular to animaginary centre line of the tray extending through the front edge.Since the passage is curved, the mouse support must also have a curvedshape to slidably fit within the passage. A lower portion of the passageis usually made from metal and it is significantly more expensive toprovide a curved passage than it is to provide a straight or rectangularpassage. Further, it is generally easier to slide a mouse support outeither side of a rectangular passage than it is to slide a curved mousesupport out of a curved passage. With previous designs, the mousesupport can sometimes slide back into the passage when a mouse is beingmoved on the mouse support due to the movement of the mouse. For thecomfort of a user, it is sometimes desirable to provide a mouse supportthat will extend beyond a front of the keyboard tray when the mousesupport is fully extended. With previous mouse supports that are locatedin a curved passage, the mouse support cannot be adjusted while themouse support remains in the fully extended position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mouse support thatcan slide out either end of a passage having a generally rectangularshape where the mouse support can be moved forward when it is in a fullyextended position so that an end of the mouse support extends beyond afront of the tray in which the passage is located.

A keyboard tray can be mounted on an articulating arm. The tray has anupper portion and a lower portion that together define a passageextending through the tray from side to side. The tray has two sides, aforemost edge and a back edge. A mouse support has two ends, a front anda rear, the mouse support being sidably mounted within the passage andhaving a closed position and extended positions. The front of the mousesupport generally converges toward the rear from each end to a centre ofthe mouse support, the mouse support being narrower at the center thanat the ends. An extended portion of the mouse support is movable fromone of said extended positions in a forward direction relative to thetray and returnable to the one of the extended positions.

In a further embodiment, the mouse support is mounted within a passageof a keyboard tray and has a closed position and a plurality of extendedpositions. The front of the mouse support converges from the ends to acenter of the mouse support. In the closed position, the center of themouse support is substantially equidistant from the sides of the tray.In the extended positions, an extended portion of the mouse support ismovable in a forward direction relative to the tray.

A keyboard tray can be mounted on an articulating arm. The tray has apassage therein extending from side to side. A mouse support having twoends is slidably mounted within the passage and has a closed positionand extended positions. The mouse support has a front edge thatconverges toward a center of the mouse support, the mouse support beingnarrower at the center than at the ends. When in an extended position,an outer end of the mouse support is movable in a forward directionrelative to the tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In FIG. 1, there is shown a top view of a mouse support in a closedposition within a keyboard tray;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the tray with the mouse support removed;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a mouse support in a keyboard tray where themouse support is in a partially open position;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a mouse support slidably mounted in a keyboardtray wherein the mouse support is in a fully open position;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a mouse support in an open position where an endof the mouse support is in a partially forward relative to the keyboardtray;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a mouse support in a keyboard tray where themouse support is in the fully extended position and a full forwardposition; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of the tray and mouse support in a closedposition with a groove in the mouse support deleted to expose a channelin an underside of the tray;

FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of the mouse support in a fully extendedrearward position with that part of the groove that is located beneaththe channel deleted;

FIG. 9 is a schematic top view of the mouse support in a fully extendedfirst forward position;

FIG. 10 is a schematic top view of the mouse support in a fully extendedsecond forward position;

FIG. 11 is a schematic top view of the mouse support in a fully extendedthird forward position;

FIG. 12 is a schematic top view of the mouse support in a fully extendedfourth forward position;

FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view of an underside of the trayshowing a channel and détentes; and

FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view of an upper surface of the mousesupport showing a spring loaded projection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a keyboard tray 2 has an upper portion 4 and a lowerportion 6 with a passage 8 located therein. A mouse support 10 isslidably mounted within the passage 8. While the mouse support wouldordinarily be obscured by the upper portion 4 of the keyboard tray 2,FIG. 1 and FIGS. 3 to 6 have been drawn as though the upper portion ofthe keyboard tray is transparent so that the shape and position of themouse support within the passage can be clearly seen. The mouse supporthas been deleted from FIG. 2 to expose the passage 8.

The tray 2 has a foremost edge 12, back edge 14 and two sides 16. Themouse support 10 has a front 18, a rear 20 and two ends 22. It can beseen that the front 18 converges toward the rear 20 from the end towarda central portion 24. It can also be seen that the ends 22 are roundedoutward and have handles 26 located therein. The mouse support 10 isslightly longer than a width of the keyboard tray 2 so that when themouse support is in the closed position relative to the tray shown inFIG. 1, the ends 22 extend beyond the sides 16 of the tray.

The mouse support 10 has a groove 28 extending longitudinally betweenthe ends 22. The groove terminates before the handle at each end isreached. The groove is sized and shaped to receive a projection 30,which is mounted within a fixed position within the passage 8. Thegroove 28 and projection 30 provide a guide and retainer respectivelyfor the movement of the mouse support relative to the tray. The guideand retainer can be reversed so that the passage contains the guide andthe mouse support contains the retainer. However, it is preferable tohave the retainer in the passage and the guide located within the mousesupport as is shown in the drawings. Preferably, the groove is locatedin an underside of the mouse support and the retainer extends upwardfrom a base of the passage.

In FIGS. 3 to 6, the same reference numerals are used to describe thosecomponents that are identical to the components shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.In FIG. 3, the mouse support 10 is in an extended position, but is onlypartially extended beyond one side 16 of the tray 2. In FIG. 4, themouse support is further extended beyond one of the sides 16 to a fullyextended position. In the fully extended position, the projection 30 islocated at an inner end 32 of the groove 28.

In FIG. 5, the outer end of the mouse support has been moved partiallyforward relative to the tray 2. In FIG. 6, the mouse support has beenpivoted further forward to a maximum forward position. It can be seenthat part of the outer end of the mouse support extends beyond theforemost edge of the tray. From the position shown in FIG. 5, the outerend of the mouse support can be moved forward to the position shown inFIG. 6 or rearward to the position shown in FIG. 4. From the positionshown in FIG. 6, the outer end of the mouse support can be movedrearward to the position shown in FIG. 5 and further rearward to theposition shown in FIG. 4. Preferably, the passage 8 and centre portionof the mouse support have corresponding ridges and indentations thereonso that the mouse support can be snugly held relative to the keyboardtray in any of the three positions shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6.

In FIGS. 7 to 12, the mouse support 10 is shown in various positionsrelative to the tray 2. In FIGS. 7 and 8, the groove 28 has been deletedto expose a channel 34 that is located in the underside of the tray 2with a plurality of détentes 36 also on the underside of the tray 2. Thechannel 34 is located above the mouse support 10. The détentes 36 arelocated near each side of the tray 2. The channel 34 has two ridges 38located at a centre of the channel equidistant between the two sides.The tray has a spring loaded protrusion (not shown in FIGS. 7 to 12)that is located to ride in the channel 34 and détentes 36. As the mousesupport moves within the passage (not shown in FIGS. 7 to 12) the springloaded protrusion is located substantially at a center of the mousesupport 10 above the group 28. When the mouse support is in the closedposition shown in FIG. 7, the protrusion is located between the tworidges 38. The two ridges provide a détente. As the mouse support ispulled sideways out of the passage to the fully extended rearwardposition shown in FIG. 8 the protrusion moves along the channel 34 intoa first détente 36. In the first intermediate position shown in FIG. 9,the protrusion moves into the second détente 36. In FIG. 10, theprotrusion moves into the third détente 36 and in FIG. 11, theprotrusion moves into the fourth détente 36. In FIG. 12, the protrusionmoves into the fifth détente 36 and the mouse support is in the fullyextended and most forward position relative to the tray. In all of FIGS.8 to 12 inclusive, the mouse support is in a fully extended position outone side of the tray. In each of the positions shown in FIGS. 7 to 12,an additional force must be exerted on the mouse support to move themouse support out of the position shown and into another position. Inother words, the mouse support is locked in position relative to thetray in each of the positions shown in FIGS. 7 to 12. The protrusion,which is preferably spring loaded, has been deleted to expose theprojection 30. In the drawings, both the mouse support 10 and thekeyboard tray 2 have been shown as being transparent so that the groove28 and channel 34 are visible in a top view. The channel 34 is locatedbeneath the keyboard tray 2 and will not be visible in a top view whenthe tray is made from opaque material. Similarly, the groove 28 in themouse support 10 is located on an underside of the mouse support andthere is a layer of material that forms part of the mouse support thatis located along the top of the groove 28. By referring to FIG. 2, itcan be seen that there is a gap between a top of the projection 30 andthe upper portion of the mouse support 4. The gap can be smaller thanthat shown in FIG. 2 as long as there is sufficient distance for thethickness of material above the groove 28.

In FIG. 13, there is shown a partial perspective view of an underside 40of an upper portion of the tray 2. The channel 34 can be seen as well asthe détentes 36 located at one end of the tray. The détentes 36 at theother end of the tray (not shown in FIG. 13) are identical to thedétentes that are shown and are symmetrical about an imaginary centreline extending from front to rear through the tray. It can also be seenthat the tray 2 has various cylinders 42 and ridges 44 that make upsupport structure for the tray.

In FIG. 14, there is shown a partial perspective view of the mousesupport 10. It can be seen that a protrusion 46 is located in anapproximate centre of the mouse support 10 straddling an imaginarycentre line extending from front to rear. The protrusion is preferablyspring loaded so that it will automatically move inward when sufficientforce is extended to move the mouse support from one position toanother. The protrusion 46 is the spring loaded protrusion described,but not shown, in FIGS. 7 to 12. The protrusion 46 can be spring loadedin various ways. However, it is preferred that the protrusion be springloaded by simply having a surface of the mouse support cut by twoparallel slots 48 that extend around the protrusion in a U-shape so thatthe protrusion 46 can move up and down much like a spring board in aswimming pool due to the resilience of the plastic material from whichthe mouse support 10 is made.

While the mouse support shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 extends out the right sideof the tray when viewed from the top, the mouse support is symmetricalabout an imaginary centre line 34 and can just as easily slide out theleft hand side of the tray 2 to the same positions that are shown forthe right side in FIGS. 3 to 6. Since the mouse support slides manuallyrelative to the tray, there are an infinite number of open or partiallyopen positions of the mouse support relative to the tray within therange between the fully closed position and the fully open and maximumforward position shown in FIG. 6. The mouse support can be manuallypulled out either side of the tray. It is necessary to first pull themouse support out of the tray sideways and to then pull the mousesupport forward. The mouse support can then be moved between theposition shown in FIG. 1 and the position shown in FIG. 6. In FIGS. 7 to12, the mouse support extends out the left hand side of the tray.

The passage 8 has a rectangular shape and preferably the lower portionis made from metal and the upper portion is made from molded plasticpreferably the mouse support is also made from molded plastic in thefully extended and maximum forward position shown in FIG. 6, an innerportion of the front is generally parallel to the front and rear edges(not shown) under the passage.

The mouse support is referred to as being an angular mouse supportbecause the front 18 extends at an angle relative to the rear 20.Various shapes of the front edge of the mouse support will be suitableas long as the front edge generally converges relative to the back edgetowards a center of the mouse support. Preferably, the mouse support hasfour corners that together form an imaginary rectangle that is sized toslidably fit within the passage. While the mouse support has one closedposition, it has a plurality of extended positions and a plurality offorward positions. The forward positions can also be described asextended positions. The channel 34 (best shown in FIG. 7) has twoportions (at either side of the tray) that curve forward. The twoportions contain a plurality of détentes into which the spring mountedprotrusion shown in FIG. 14 can removably fit.

1. A keyboard tray for mounting on an articulating arm, said traycomprising an upper portion and a lower portion that together define apassage extending through said tray from side to side, said tray havingtwo sides, a foremost edge and a back edge, a mouse support having twoends, a front and a rear, said two ends, front and rear defining aperimeter of said mouse support, said mouse support being slidablymounted within said passage and having a closed position and extendedpositions, said front of said mouse support generally converging towardsaid rear from each end to a centre of said mouse support, said mousesupport being narrower at said center than at said ends, said rear ofsaid mouse support being substantially straight from one end to theother, an extended portion of said mouse support being movable from oneof said extended positions in a forward direction relative to said trayand returnable to one of said extended positions.
 2. A keyboard tray asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said mouse support is shaped to be movable insaid forward direction beyond a forwardmost point in said foremost edgeof said tray.
 3. A keyboard tray as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 2wherein said mouse support has one of a guide and retainer locatedthereon and said passage has the other of said retainer and guiderespectively located thereon, said retainer and guide corresponding toone another so that said retainer can travel within said guide and saidmouse support can alternately slide beyond either side of said passage,said retainer and guide limiting a distance at each end of said mousesupport that said mouse support can slide out either side of saidpassage.
 4. A keyboard tray as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 2wherein said mouse support has one of a guide and retainer locatedthereon, said passage having the other of a retainer and guiderespectively located thereon, said retainer and guide corresponding toone another so that said retainer can travel within said guide as saidmouse support moves relative to said passage, said mouse supportpivoting relative to a pivot point through said retainer for forward orrearward movement of said mouse support relative to said tray when saidmouse support is in said extended position.
 5. A keyboard tray asclaimed in claim 1 wherein said mouse support has a fully extendedposition out either side of said tray.
 6. A keyboard tray as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said ends of said mouse support are curved outward withhandles therein.
 7. A keyboard tray as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidmouse support is longer than said tray.
 8. A keyboard tray as claimed inclaim 1 wherein in said closed position, said mouse support is centredwithin said tray with said ends extending beyond said sides.
 9. Akeyboard tray as claimed in claim 1 wherein in said closed position,said mouse support is symmetrical about a centre line of said trayextending from said foremost edge to said back edge.
 10. A keyboard trayas claimed in claim 1 wherein said passage has a rectangular shape whenviewed from a top, said mouse support having four corners that togetherform an imaginary rectangle that is sized to slidably fit within saidpassage.
 11. A keyboard tray as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 2wherein when said mouse support is in said one extended position, saidmouse support has a plurality of forward positions.
 12. A keyboard trayas claimed in any one of claims 1 or 2 wherein when said mouse supportis in said one extended position, said mouse support has a plurality offorward positions, said keyboard tray having a plurality of détentes,there being one détente for each forward position.
 13. A keyboard trayas claimed in claim 1 wherein said keyboard tray has a projectionsubstantially centrally located in said passage, said projectionextending into a groove in said mouse support, said groove extendingbetween said ends of said mouse support.
 14. A keyboard tray as claimedin claim 13 wherein said keyboard tray has a channel in an undersidethereof, said channel being located above said groove, said mousesupport having a protrusion extending upward therefrom into saidchannel.
 15. A keyboard tray as claimed in claim 14 wherein saidprotrusion is spring loaded.
 16. A keyboard tray as claimed in claim 15wherein said channel has a détente located at a center thereof and saidchannel having two portions that curve forward, there being one of saidtwo portions at each side of said tray, said portions containing aplurality of détentes, said détentes being sized and shaped to removablyreceive said protrusion.
 17. A keyboard tray for mounting on anarticulating arm, said tray comprising an upper portion and a lowerportion that together define a passage extending through said tray fromside to side, said tray having two sides, a foremost edge and a backedge, a mouse support having two ends, a front and a rear said two ends,front and rear defining a perimeter of said mouse support, said mousesupport being slidably mounted within said passage and having a closedposition in said tray and a plurality of extended positions, said rearbeing straight from one end to the other, said mouse support convergingfrom said ends to a center of said mouse support such that said mousesupport being narrower at said center than at said ends, in said closedposition said center of said mouse support being substantiallyequidistant from said sides of said tray, in said extended positions, anextended portion of said mouse support being moveable in a forwarddirection relative to said tray to a forward position.
 18. A keyboardtray as claimed in claim 17 wherein there are a plurality of forwardpositions on each side of said tray.
 19. A keyboard tray as claimed inclaim 18 wherein there is a détente for each forward position.
 20. Akeyboard tray as claimed in claim 17 wherein said mouse support isconstructed to be pivoted when in an extended position either forward orbackward.